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Ageing is a Triumph of Development

Opinion Editorial by Ms. Ritsu Nacken, Representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka, in commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons, 1 October 2017.

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Ageing is an issue close to my heart. I come from the country with the highest percentage of elderly people in the world. By 2050, almost half of the population in Japan will be above the age of 60 years. The lessons we have learned as a country are plenty; and the learning continues.

In Japan, it is customary for the eldest son’s wife to take care of the grandparents. My mother was such a wife. As a working mother herself, she had to travel over 8 hours by train to care for my paternal grandmother who was unfortunately paralyzed. This caused a lot of strain on our family, and as the daughter, I had to juggle the duties at our home when I was 15 years old. This is a common trend in many families in Japan, and such situations often result in abuse, neglect, suicide, or even murder of the elderly, due to societal obligations of keeping with traditions and customs, and lack of affordable care services. This also often hinders opportunities for women to actively contribute to the workforce and to enjoy equal rights to fulfill their potential.

But ageing does not need to be like this. It should not be seen as a burden. Ageing is a triumph of development. It is an indication that people are living longer with better nutrition. It is an indication of better healthcare. And it is an indication of better education and economic well-being.

By 2030, it is projected that one in five people in Sri Lanka will be above the age of 60 years. This is 20 per cent of the population that can play a vital role in society. The elderly can contribute to society as educators, workers, volunteers, caregivers, and as sources of knowledge and historical memory. They are also important leaders; often playing a role in conflict resolution within families, in communities, and even in emergency situations.

But they eventually need caregiving, a responsibility that often falls on their families, particularly women. But with declining fertility and increasing urbanization, traditional family support networks may not be the best solution, similar to my situation in Japan. This is why options such as social protection systems through increased Government, private-sector, and community engagement is necessary. Such systems cannot be put in place overnight, and therefore, Sri Lanka must plan now to ensure the right policies are in place to enable such elder care systems that can provide the necessary social protection for the projected 4.7 million elderly people by 2030.

It is important to be prepared to reap the benefits of this demographic shift. And to do so, first and foremost, we need to take a positive approach towards population ageing. Ageing can be an opportunity to envision a society with a new reality and a new mindset. Rapid economic growth may not be a realistic vision as population ageing comes with low fertility and population decrease. But we could shift our focus and work further towards a more sustainable, inclusive and equitable society.

It is also important for Sri Lanka to invest in its youth, now. First, investing in youth is the right thing to do, but moreover, healthy and productive young people are needed to support the current elderly population. Young people need to have access to education and employment opportunities, and also to quality sexual and reproductive health services and information, in order to achieve their fullest potential. This will enable them to actively contribute to the economy and thereby support the dependent population. In addition, when we invest in the current generation of young people, we are investing in the future generation of the elderly. If young people take care of their health, and acquire knowledge, skills, and experience that prepare them well for their retirement age, they would need less support from society. This is why some countries invest in developing personal financial management skills of the younger generation, particularly women, who usually live longer, but are often more at risk of poverty.

It is also crucial to develop and implement policies and programmes, which address the needs of the most vulnerable older persons. This includes the elderly with disabilities, mental health challenges, those living alone, and elderly women that head households. These segments of the elderly population are the most vulnerable, and are often subject to discrimination and abuse.

Experience from other countries shows that it is critical to create an environment where there are many options for affordable care and support for these vulnerable people, including community-based care and elderly homes. Social stigma on institutional care should be eliminated because it is sometimes the only and best option for the elderly and their families. Needless to say, effective regulatory framework and quality of care standards need to be established to avoid potential abuse and neglect in elderly homes.

As Sri Lanka ventures on its journey forward in line with the Sustainable Development Agenda, it is imperative to envision 2030 as a Sri Lanka with an ageing population. It is imperative for the government to set up policies and programmes to effectively prepare for an aged society. And it is imperative to realize that population ageing is not a burden, but a triumph of development.

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Note: Participants can submit any number of ideas; however, only one idea per article is permitted.

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03 Sept 2017: Closing of submissions at 23:59 on 3 September 2017

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13 Sept 2017: Shortlisted applicants to present their ideas in further detail to the judging panel

21 Sept 2017: The ten winning ideas will be announced at the Award Ceremony at which Rs. 100,000/- seed capital will be granted to each of the winning applicants

Evaluation criteria includes creativity of the proposed idea to address the given social issue, and feasibility of implementation within the stipulated budget and timeframe.

The number of votes received per idea will not be a deciding factor.

The judging panel’s decision will be final.

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The ten young people will receive the seed capital on 21 September 2017. They will also be provided mentoring organized by the Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum and the United Nations Population Fund, to support in implementation of their ideas. All winning participants must provide a progress report every 2 weeks and must take full responsibility to complete project implementation by 31 December 2017.

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Terms & Conditions

iVoice Idea Competition

About

iVoice is an online platform that encourages youth to discuss social issues and to drive innovative solutions. The platform features stories relating to social issues in Sri Lanka, which are submitted by iVoice contributors and the general public.

The objective of the iVoice Idea Competition is to encourage youth to play a participatory role in solving social issues. After reading a story featured on iVoice, youth can submit their ‘idea’ to help to address the social issue that is highlighted in the story. The ten best ideas will receive seed capital of Rs. 100,000/- each, and mentoring, to support in implementing their ideas.

Eligibility

Participants must be Sri Lankan nationals between the ages of 18-29 years

In the event that a participant is awarded the seed capital, he/she must take full responsibility to ensure the idea is implemented before 31 December 2017

Submitting ideas

The majority of articles featured on iVoice relate to a social issue. These stories have a ‘Submit Your Idea’ button at the end of the article, inviting youth to share their innovative ideas on how to address these social issues.

Submitted ideas must be innovative and unique. The ideas must also be practical and implementable by 31 December 2017.

The deadline for submitting an idea is 3 September 2017.

To submit an idea, the following details must be provided through the online form:

Confirmation that the idea can be implemented between the time period of 21 September – 31 December 2017

Title of idea: A brief title that summarizes the concept of the idea/solution (50 characters)

The problem: A 100 word description of the specific problem that your idea will address

The solution: A 500 word description of what you will do to help to address the problem and how you plan to implement your idea before 31 December 2017

Budget: Specify the total budget required to implement your idea in Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR). Note that the ten winning submissions will be granted Rs. 100,000/- as seed capital in September 2017.

Note: Participants can submit any number of ideas; however, only one idea per article is permitted.

Evaluation process

Ideas will be evaluated through a competitive process.

03 Sept 2017: Closing of submissions at 23:59 on 3 September 2017

06 Sept 2017: Shortlisting of 20 ideas

13 Sept 2017: Shortlisted applicants to present their ideas in further detail to the judging panel

21 Sept 2017: The ten winning ideas will be announced at the Award Ceremony at which Rs. 100,000/- seed capital will be granted to each of the winning applicants

Evaluation criteria includes creativity of the proposed idea to address the given social issue, and feasibility of implementation within the stipulated budget and timeframe.

The number of votes received per idea will not be a deciding factor.

The judging panel’s decision will be final.

Implementing ideas

The ten young people will receive the seed capital on 21 September 2017. They will also be provided mentoring organized by the Sri Lanka Development Journalist Forum and the United Nations Population Fund, to support in implementation of their ideas. All winning participants must provide a progress report every 2 weeks and must take full responsibility to complete project implementation by 31 December 2017.

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